Switch-handle lock



March 23, 1954 E ARENs SWITCH-HANDLE LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1949 IN V EN T 0R. EGMO dwg.

HTTOFRNEYS March 23, 1954 E. ARENS 2,672,746 SWITCH-HANDLE LOCK Filed Feb. 10, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. I EGMO/VT ARE/vs BYmM ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 23, 1954 Egmont Arens, New York, N; Y.,

assi'gn'urs to Federal Electric Products Company, Newark, N. J.,

a. corparation Application February 10, 1545;, Serial 1%. 75,652 17 Claims. (CL 70*210) The present invention ieltes fio enclosed electric switches and more paiticularly to Sufih Switches which are provided with switch-Opelaltihg handles dispoeed externally cif the switch enclusure or casing;

One objeet bf the pfesent ihvenoich is the 131%)- Vision of improved means for loking the swifiehoperating handle in switch-open pdsition Whereby no prevefit bperation of the handle fdr closifig the switch. I

Another ebjet (if the present invention is the e smith-actuating mechanism within the ease The above objects aneiilary iihereto will be fully understood from the following description switch embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a; perspective View showing the ctsi'ng cover Open; Fig. 3 is Fig. 2';

Fig; 4 is Fig. 3;

a; sectional View on the line 3-3 of a sectional view on the line 4-4 6f Fig". is perspective View of a locking ii iembe? removed from the switch-operating handle";

Fig

swung to closed and by Figs. 1 and 2.

eherabie by spring-tbggle mecha'riisfri including h is r'nfiiiht'ed for H an axis whidh is parto the front of Cover I4. As the present mrire clearly by toh 'il 60, and if? as; by a pivot stucl br sh'ouldered shrew 3B; Sid hracket is welded or Otherwise secured to the Hand e a2 1; mm

is pcisitifihed in rehash 40 and in A disk as is disposed at the inner surface of cover 14 and is connected to the hub as of handle 30 by screws 48 which pass through e e'hihgs 50' in disk 44 and are threaded into tapped holes 52 in said handle hub; As Shawn Fig. 7,- the circular opening 42 m cbvr 14 has a ircumfe'rentially ehtendih same edge p'oitidfis 5% en positibns of handle 32. alfifl 5s and projeetion tdn'g ue ofextehsion h fe'd'e 2 aids in preventing relative locking member 86. formed on locking extension removed when gageable in to be locked in its times the case, such locking of 8t of locking member 80 when 80 has a locking element or projection 84 which slidably fits in a slot 86 provided in disk 44 in registry with the inner end of handle slot 82. The casing cover is provided with a notch 88 into which locking projection 84 is moved when locking member 88 is moved from its retracted or handle-releasing position to its projected or handle-locking position shown in Fig. 1. Look- 80 has an elongated opening 90 which, as shown in Fig. 3 is disposed internally of the handle hub 38 when the locking member is in its retracted position and which is disposed externally oi the handle, as shown in Fig. 1, when the locking member is in its projected position. A removable lock L serves to hold locking member 80 in its handle-locking position. Opening 98 is preferably long enough to receive two or more individual locks, operable by difierent keys respectively, so that the handle may be locked against operation by a number of authorized persons for purposes well known to those skilled in the art. The locking member is releasably held in its retracted position by a spring 92 which is positioned in an opening e4 provided in said looking member and in a widened. part at of slot 82. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that one end of the spring bears against the shoulders 98 of slot part 96 while the other end of said spring bears against the edge hi of the opening 94 of member as and is slidable in the recessed part Hi4 adjacent slot part 96. Slot 82 has a portion I65 which slidably receives the 1% of locking member 80. The knurled edge portion H0 of locking member 89 facilitates the projection of said locking member from the handle to its locking position as will be readily apparent. It may be noted that when looking member til is inserted in its correct position in handle 38, disks M and 46 being subsequently secured to the handle hub, said locking member is held against removal from said handle from the outer side of the cover and can only be the cover is open and disks M and 46 are removed. The cover l4 may be locked closed by one or more devices which are well known to those skilled in the art. One such device may comprise the conventional pivoted cover latch H2 carried by the switch box l2 and enan opening H t of the cover, said latch being provided with an opening H6 for .a lock. Another locking device for preventing unauthorized movement of handle 32 from its oirposition may be constituted by any suitable interlock with which the art is familiar for preventing unauthorized opening of the cover.

Provision is also made to enable the handle 32 on position when, as is somethe handle is re- For this purpose a notch H is provided by locking projection the handle is in illustrated form of the invention handle 32 is its on position. It will be noted that in the illustrated form of the invention handle 32 is movable through 90 its on and off positions so that locking notches 88 and H5 are therefore spaced 90 apart for registry with the slot 82 of the handle in the off and on positions respectively, thereof, so that said handle can be locked in either of said positions.

result of the above the handle locking quired. in cover 14 for engagement described construction of means'of the present invention it is unnecessary to provide any external projections on the cover -or any other auxiliary lockretaining means on;

A lateral projection W2 is the cover externally thereof or thereof, except for the locking notch or notches S8 and H5. Further it will be observed that notches 88 and H5 are covered at the outer side of the cover by the inner side of the handle hub 38.

Various changes in the details of construction and in the form and arrangement of the various parts may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a switch casing provided with an operating handle mounted thereon externally of the casing for movement to off and on positions, said casing having a part provided with an opening through which said handle is operable to actuate a switch disposed within the casing, said handle terminating at the outer side of said casing, means for releasably locking said handle in a predetermined position in relation to said casing, comprising member mounted on said handle for from retracted or handle-releasing locking position, and means the casing for premember from said handle casing is opened, said latter means being a member overlying said opening at the inner side of the casing and operatively engaged with said handle for movement thereby.

2. In a switch casing provided with an opercasing for movement to off and on positions, said casing having a part provided with an opening through which said handle is operable to actuate a switch disposed within the casing, means for releasably locking said handle in a predetermined position in relation to said cas ing, comprising a locking member mounted on said handle for movement from retracted or handle-releasing position to pro ected or handlelocking position, ing adjacent said opening to receive the projected locking member, a bearing member on sai handle journalled in said casing opening for pivoted movement of said handle, said bearing member having a radial slot and said casing having which said slot registers in said predetermined position of the handle, said locking member having which is movable in said slot and into said notch ior preventing pivotal movement of said handle.

3. In a switch casing provided withan operating handle mounted thereon externally of the casing for movement to ofi and on positions, said casing having a part provided with an opening through which said handle is operable to actuate a switch disposed within the casing, means for releasably lockin said handle in a predetermined position in relation to said casing, comprising a locking member mounted on said handle for movement from retracted or handle-releasing position to projected or handlelocking position, and a notch formed in said casing adjacent said opening to. receive the projected locking member, a bearing member on said handle journalled in said casing opening for pivotal movement of said handle, said bearing member having a radial slot and said casing having a notch with which said slot registers in said predetermined position of the handle, said locking member having a locking element which is mova notch formed in said cas- 5,679,? a l. a 6 N nd into sa d notch for prevent lever having one end ivotally connected to the ins pivotal movement of said handle, said handle casing for movement parallel to the plane of having a slot in registry with said slot of the said opening and having its other end adapted slot providing a finger piece for use in projectlast mentioned member to said lever intermedisaid locking member to its handle-locking noate said ends thereof for actuating said lever v 4 w .r

e. In a s itch casing havin an opening for for preventing the actuation Of said lever oommounting' ahandle fOi turnin movement thereprising a locking member movably mounted on on, a handl having a part overlapping the cassaid handle and eneageable with a part of said he externall thereof around said opening, a casing which is externally overlapped by said earing part Journalled in said opening and seandle cured to said handle for mounting the latter for 8. In a switch casing having a movable cover said tuining movement, a member secured tosaid and a switch operating handle mounted for turnbearing part internally or th c sing and overme movement on said cover, means for releasregister with said notch when the handle is turned able in said slot and movable therein from a re to a predetermined position, and a locking memti-aet'ed position to a prjected position, and said bermovable in said slots and into said notch, in casing havin a part which is engageable by said said position of the handle, for reventing turnlocking member in the projected position thereof on a handle having a part overlapping t e oaslooking member from the handle.

said bearing part internally of the casing and opening and secured to said handle for mountoverlapping the latter around said opening, said ing' the latter for said turning movement, a disk easing having a notch at said opening, said member secured to saidbearing disk internally handle is turned toapredetermined position, and nd' interengaging means on said bearing disk said notch, in said position of the handle, for the turning movement of the handle in at least preventing turning of the handle, and interen one direction. V

easing means on said bearing part and on said 10. 'n a switch casing having an opening for easing at said opening for limiting the turning mounting a handle for turning movement them movement of the handle in at least one direeon, a bearing part jour'nalled in said opening tion. and secured to said handle for mountin the latswitch nasing having an opening for ter for said turnin movement, a member sesaid openea'sing and having a part overlapping the casing ing said casin having a notch at said opening, externally theieoraround said o ening; a bearing said handle and said bearing part having aligned disk journalled' in said opening and secured to slots which register with said notch when the opening and having its other end adapted to enmovement of the handle in at least one direcgage a switch-actuatingmechanism Within the tion. V casing; and a link pivotally connecting said last 11. In a switch casing provided with an opmentioned member to said lever intermediate erating handle mounted thereon externally of said ends thereof for actuating said lever when the casing for movement to 01f and on pothe handievis turned. 6 sitions, said casing having a part provided with 7. In a switch casin having an opening for an opening through which said handle is opmounting a handle for turning movement thereerabl' to actuate a switch disposedwithin the ing externally thereof around said opening, a casing, comprising a locking member mounted to said bearing disk internally of the casing and casing adjacent said opening to receive the prooverlapping the latter around said opening, a jected locking member, a bearing member on verable to actuate a switch able thereon to and from said handle journalled in said casing opening for pivotal movement of said handle, said bearpreventing pivotal movement of said handle, said locking member having a part provided with an opening to receive a lock for locking said member in said projected position.

12. In a switch casing having an openin for mounting a handle for turning movement thereon, said handle terminating at the outer side of said casing and having a recess defined therein, a bearing disk journalled in said opening and secured in said recess for mounting the handle for turning movement, a disk member secured to said bearing disk internally of the casing and overlapping the latter around said opening, and a locking member mounted on said handle for movement from retracted or handle-releasing position to projected or handle-locking position, said casing having a notch in which said locking member engages in said handle-locking position thereof.

13. In a switch easing provided with an operating handle mounted thereon externally of the casing for movement to ofi and on positions, said casing having a part provided with an opening through which said handle is opdisposed within the casing, means for releasably locking said handle in a predetermined position in relation to said casing, comprising .a locking member mounted on said handle for movement from retracted or handle-releasing position handle-locking position, and a notch formed in said casing adjacent said opening to receive the projected locking member, said handle having a hub portion which overlies said opening and notch externally oi the casing for preventing ac cess into said casing through said opening or notch, said locking member being provided in said hub portion for said movement thereof.

14.1n a switch casing having a cover provided with an opening therethrough and a switch operating handle mounted in said opening for turning movement on said cover, means for releasably locking said handle in a predetermined position, said handle having a hub portion provided with a slot and said locking means comprising a locking member movably fitted in said slot and completely closing said slot and movable therein from a retracted position to a projected position, and said casing having a part which is engageable by said locking member in said projected position thereof for preventing turning of said handle from said predetermined position, said handle having a peripheral part which overlies said cover externally of the latter around said opening and said locking member, in all positions of said handle, for preventing access to the interior of said casing through said opening.

.15. In a switch casing having a handle mova predetermined poing the latter for turning sition, means for releasably locking said handle in said position comprising a locking member bodily movable on said handle to and from a projected or handle-locking position, and a part in fixed relation to said casing releasably engageable by said locking member when said handle is in said predetermined position and. said locking member is moved in relation to said handle to said projected position, said handle havin a pivotal portion terminating at the outer side of said casing and dimensioned to overlie said casing part for preventing access into said casing through said part, and a member disposed internally or said casing to overlie said casing part internally thereof, said latter member being secured to said pivotal portion whereby said casing part is disposed therebetween.

16. In a switch casing having a handle movable thereon externally thereof to and from two different predetermined positions, means for releasably locking said handle in either of said p sitions, comprising a part on said casing provided with notches at said positions, respectively, of the handle and a locking member movably mounted on said handle and movable into said notches, respectively, in said predetermined. positions of the handle for preventing movement of the handle in relation to the casing, said handle terminating at the outer side of said member is movable to and from its locking position, said slot being in registry with one of said notches in one or said positions of the handle and in registry with the other of said notches in the other position of the handle, and a member disposed internally of said casing to overlie said casing part internally thereof, said latter member being secured to said handle said casing part is disposed therebetween.

1'7. In a switch casing having an opening for mounting a handle for turning movement thereof, said handle terminating at the outer side of said casing, a bearing element journalled in said opening and secured to said handle for mountmovement, a retaining member secured to said bearing element internally of the casing and overlapping the latter around said opening, and a locking member mounted on said handle for movement from retracted or handle-releasing position to proiected or handle-locking position, said casing having a notch in which said locking member engages in said handle-locking position thereof.

EGMONT ARENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 195,611 Jarecki Sept. 25, 187'! 1,220,174 Briggs Mar, 2'7, 191'? 1,247,532 Heath Nov. 20, 1917 1,356,863 Goold Oct. 26, 1920 1,499,4 7 Tullar July 1, 1924 1,909,453 Brown May 16, 1933 2,026,695 Mears Jan. 7, 1936 whereby 

